The Whisperer
by Patricia Monsoon
Summary: Jackson, a regular boy in a not-so-regular orphanage, has a normal life until the day comes in which a strange newspaper ad falls into his possession. His life will change forever, for better, or for worse.
1. Chapter 1

THE WHISPERER

BY EAGLE EYES

**Chapter 1**

It all started with an innocent little newspaper ad:

Bored with your life?

Tired of monotonous monotony?

If so, come to 198 Brooklyn Avenue

(Be ready for the adventure of a lifetime!)

_Just a harmless little ad, what could it do, really?_ I thought, as I sat in the leathery orphanage chair. It might seem strange to you that an orphanage would have a library, much less one with children in it, but this wasn't just any old orphanage, it was an orphanage for _special _kids. I mean the _strange _special. For those kids who were just flat out different.

As I read through the ad, a nagging anxiety throbbed in my stomach, along with an unsettling suspicion. I suddenly felt that this was my moment, a moment of fate. I looked around to make sure no one was looking, and then scurried out the door.

Wait! I forgot the introductions. The only character you've met so far is me, Jackson. As you might have guessed before, I have no remaining family. As far as I know, I don't even have a first name. I don't know if it's my first of last name, even! No one even really cares about names; it shouldn't really matter at all.

Anyway, I rushed down the street, taking cautious glances back every few seconds. When I reached Brooklyn Avenue, I did not see what was expected, not even close.

What I had expected was a fancy-dancy residential area. What I saw, however, was a different story. The avenue consisted of only one house at the end of the road. It was in shambles, not in living conditions whatsoever. The shutters were banging, the door was ajar, and the remnants of a recent paint job were nowhere to be found. I took a tentative step through the rusty gateway, and flung the door open.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

The door swung open with a creak. A welcome blast of hot air gushed through the open door. I peered inside, and wasn't sure of what I saw.

I saw a simple house's interior with 4 other impatient-looking children sitting on large, overstuffed sofas. A blazing fireplace crackled in the firepit. The warmth was welcomed by my near frostbitten fingers. I took a step inside and what greeted me practically made my heart drop into my stomach.

"Hello there!" shouted the man that appeared at the door right as I entered. The man almost seemed to appear out of thin air.

I must have jumped at least 3 feet.

"Hello, sir. My name's Jackson" I said, regaining my composure bit by bit.

"Good to meet you. Please, young sir, come in!"

Once I had entered the house and had taken off my coat and hung it on a rusty metal hook, the man leaned down, for he was quite tall, and whispered in my ear:

"Are you here for the experiment?"

"Yes. But I think a little bit of an explanation is in order."

The man sighed. "I suppose you're right."

The man led me, as well as the rest of the kids into a small red room filled with tanks of various sizes and shapes.

"First of all, my name is 7. I prefer not to use my real name lest the authorities get suspicious and shut us down. This house is actually a well concealed lab. We do genetic engineering here mostly, but that's not why you're here. The project, as you will find out soon enough, involves a computer. A very special, **expensive** computer, and it is my duty to make sure NOTHING goes wrong, for our reputation's sake, and, of course, for yours."


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

By now, I was very confused. Genetic engineering? Computers? Although these words were not a mystery to my vocabulary, I could not comprehend their importance in the current situation.

Before I could ask the countless amount of questions I had been preparing in my mind, 7 whisked us back down the hall to the living room. I sat down in a particularly comfortable chair as 7 strolled to the front of the room.

"Well, since you all are here, I guess we shall begin." 7 said. Upon finishing, he ushered the five of us into the room with all the tanks.

"Ah, here we are." 7 said as he picked up a rather large glass receptacle. It looked like it contained a miniature lab with mosquitoes performing tasks.

"Can anyone take a guess at what this is?"

A tall girl who looked about my age (whatever that is) politely raised her hand. 7 pointed to her and she strutted to the front. She tapped on the glass, fingernails clinking, and said, "This is a successful example of human DNA being intertwined with that of mosquitoes'."

"Right you are!" Exclaimed 7 ecstatically.

She looked at me, a smug smile crossing her lips and I just barely managed to smother a grimace.

"Well," said 7, clapping his hands together in anticipation. "Shall we start?"


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

I looked around as the other kids and I were escorted into The Green Room, as 7 called it. He observed 3 children hugging their parents and exchanging farewells. Of course, I had nobody.

The Green Room, true to its name, didn't have a speck of another color other than that of its namesake. All except for one small weathered TV-looking object. After the five were ushered into The Green Room, 7 once again waltzed on up to the front and asked "Who's first?"

The children looked bewildered and puzzled faces crept across the once calm and contemplative ones. All except for me, that is. I nervously stepped forth and spoke up. "I'll go."

"Fantastic!" said 7 as he grabbed my arm and pulled me over to a green sofa. "Sit."

I did so and cautiously peered back at the others for reassurance. All I got in reply were shocked expressions. I turned, downcast, as 7 wheeled out a very green table from an even greener closet.

"Here we are," declared 7, opening a drawer.

My heart dropped as 7 pulled out some wires from the drawer. 7 came over to me with a bottle of sticky gel and several electrodes. 7 politely asked me to remove my shirt, and I did so. 7 applied the gel and attached the electrodes.

"Now, you might feel a bit of a shock, but don't worry. It's only temporary." said 7 as he hustled back to the cart.

I braced myself as 7 positioned himself to flip the switch. I watched in anxiety as 7 placed his finger on it. As if in slow motion, the switch turned from off to on. I sat bolt upright as a wave of shock and excruciating pain reeled through my body. Gasps echoed in the room as I careened forward and steadied myself. My vision blanked, leaving a white fog covering everything in sight. I opened my mouth as if to scream, but all I could muster was a raspy wheeze. In the next second, I knew no more. An earsplitting scream tore through the silence as I pitched forward into darkness.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

My eyes, heavy with drowsiness, were propped open. I sat up.

"What- what happened?" I said, the full impact of the situation settling in. The situation being A) I didn't know where in the whole wide world I was, B) a little girl I had no idea about was poking me in the eyeballs, and C) I was trapped in a small room with claustrophobia, and it was pitch dark.

"Are you awake?" asked the little girl.

"Of course I'm awake! It's hard to sleep with someone poking your eyes!"

The girl looked taken aback, then started to sniffle.

"Sorry about that. I was just checking to see if you were alright." the girl said, her lip quivering. She looked about 5 years of age.

"I understand." I said trying to comfort her; pulling her into a little hug.

"Whassup…" a petite boy lying in the corner said groggily.

As he said this, the other one started blinking rapidly, taking the scene in. The dirty light bulbs suspended from the ceiling flickered on, giving off a dim light. This adjustment was welcomed by all of them.

"That's better." Said a taller, rather snooty girl gruffly.

A static buzz echoed through the room making everyone come to their senses. We jerked our head to the far wall. I slowly paced up and placed my hand on it. A small static shock traveled through my hand; I jerked back. I looked closer and it didn't seem so much like a wall anymore. As I pondered this thought, the wall flickered into life and a worried face was illuminated on the screen. The face was 7's.

_What is going on? _I thought suspiciously. Then 7 seemed to see us and he smiled nervously.

"Ah. I see that you are alright." He smiled half-heartedly.

"Alright? You call being stuck in a cave with no food or water _ALRIGHT?" _The tall girl shouted at the screen.

7 frowned.

"In my opinion it is."

She huffed and spun around to face the opposite wall.

"I suppose you want answers."

_Well, duh. _I thought.

"The experiment you are participating in is about virtual reality. Virtual reality is-"

"WE KNOW WHAT IT IS!" the girl screamed at the wall.

I didn't know what it was, but I thought I was going to find out anyway.

"Well, as I was saying, virtual reality is kind of like your brain is somewhere, but your physical self is not. Like a dream, only more powerful in its effects."

"So, what you're saying is that we're not actually here?" I interrupted.

He turned the camera to show 5 unconscious bodies. Wait, 5? Last time I checked there were only four of us-

"Exactly, this is why you have no use for food. See, your bodies are still in here. No harm can come to you."

I'm pretty sure that the last phrase was aimed at the snotty girl. Just in case you're wondering, it had the desired effect.

"The others didn't go under as easily as you, Jackson." He chuckled. "After they saw what happened to you, they refused to go! I had to drug them so that they would cooperate." I smiled.

"So, how long do we have to do this?"

"As long as it takes. Some of you still probably think this is all a dream." At that, the screen went blank, except for _END OF TRANSMISSION _written in the bottom corner.

I turned to the rest of us.

"So, I guess while we're here, we might as well learn each other's names. I'm Jackson.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

After I had spoken, the rest of the motley crew followed suit. The snotty girl stood up proudly.

"My name's Caroline." She stated bluntly. "My parents call me Caramel, though. You may call me that if you wish." she said as she displayed her impeccable teeth in a malicious grin.

"No- I mean, no thanks." I said, trying to ignore Caroline's glare. "Anyway, it's your turn." I said indicating the short boy.

A European-looking boy stepped forth. He bore a striking similarity to Caroline. Huh. "Well, my name's Camelio. Yeah, I know. Carol's my sister." He shot me a glance that was easily interpreted to mean _please, someone, kill me now! _

I pitied the boy. They didn't bear any resemblance attitude-wise. They were almost indistinguishable with regards to appearances.

"You," I said pointing to the girl that had awakened me earlier. She grinned.

"I am Liza." She said matter-of-factly. A tetchy look crossed her face. "I don't know what it stands for, if it stands for _anything_. It might be short for Elizabeth, or it might be Lizard. But I guess it doesn't matter." She smiled. "What about you?"

We all looked into the darkness where Liza had her gaze set upon. Out of the darkness, a pair of gleaming eyes peered back at us, twitching around the room. The kid crept out of the back of the room –or whatever it was- and stared at us awkwardly.

"Hi," He said. I remembered seeing him earlier, but only out of the corner of my eye.

"What's your name?" I asked. He shrugged his shoulders.

"Dunno. The kids at the orphanage called me Cam. I think it was short for Chameleon."

_Fitting name. _I thought.

So, 7 had picked up another refugee like myself.

I clapped my hands together. "Well, since we all know each other now, we should probably try to get some sleep."


	7. Chapter 7

I know, I know. The chapters are extremely short. I'll try and make them longer! R&R! That shows that people have been reading this. :) Happy Reading! -PM

**Chapter 7**

I lay there, in the darkness, the chance of imminent danger nagging at my mind. It just didn't feel safe. Did anyone have any idea what kind of fantastical creatures were prowling around in the tunnels? That's right; no one.

So, I lay there, listening to the hum of the TV screen and the obnoxious sound of snoring. I couldn't sleep with all that. Not with the threat of the unexplored tunnels and my brain seeking out possible means of escape.

That's when I heard it. A slight murmuring that seemed to float through the air. I sat up, listening intently. The sounds emitting from the air were in some form of ancient dialect. I could not translate their meanings exactly, but I caught the drift; It was a warning: Someone's coming, and soon.

I woke up about an hour later, now realizing that I had drifted off. I figured that it was a new day, but I had no way of making sure. Everyone else was fast asleep. I scrambled to my feet, and shook the nearest person awake; that was Camelio.

"Wha..." he said yawning all the while.

"Wake the rest up." I commanded. He did as I asked.

I assembled all of us into a makeshift circle and cleared my throat.

"Alright, everyone, listen up. I don't know about you guys, but the idea of having those tunnels at our backs while we sleep is giving me the willies. I mean, who knows what might be in there." I said, deciding not to tell them the part about the voices.

"I agree," added Caroline, "I don't like possibly having creatures prowl around in the dark while we, oblivious bystanders-"

The TV flickered to life and startled everyone.

"Sorry to bother you fellas' meeting," 7 said cheerily, "I've brought news to you."

"Go on." Caroline said bluntly.

"The Institute of Science has promised to fund our lab after a week's worth of successful experimenting!" 7 bobbed up and down in excitement. We exchanged weary glances.

"That's great, 7. We'll check back tomorrow, okay?" I replied.

"Oh, well, okay," 7 approved hiding a disappointed look.

The screen blacked out, and that conversation was over.

"So," I began, "Who'd like to explore the tunnels?"


	8. Chapter 8

**Buon Giorno!**

**Please leave me feedback for I don't know what should come next! And please tell me if you think that after I'm done with this, I should do Maximum Ride, the Underlander Chronicles, or another of my dreams.**

**-PM **

**Chapter 8**

** After our little conference, we headed off into the darkness. Camelio conjured up some flint and steel, and Liza found a small broom cupboard with some lanterns. Flashlights, sadly, were not part of the collection. We collected all of our belongings and plunged into the darkness.**

** The first hour was slow; the voices stayed distant. In fact, I had almost wiped them out of my memory when we turned a corner, and there, after all this time, the voices started to scream. They shouted and hooted; their obnoxious voices echoing in my skull. The sound was deafening. My thoughts were completely blocked out, the pain ringing in my head nonstop. I collapsed to my knees and pressed my hands to my ears in agony. The next thing I knew, my vision blanked and I blacked out.**

** I blinked. About three hours had passed. I groaned and pulled myself upright. Mister Chameleon was on first watch; everyone else was in a small heap off to the right of me. I moaned again, and that's when Cam noticed me. He didn't speak a word. All he did was walk over to the pile of sleepiness and vigorously shook Caroline awake. She started; I was starting to doubt that she was ever asleep in the first place. She gave Cam a menacing look and turned to the rest of them.**

"**WAKE UP." She shouted directly into Camelio's twisted face. He yelled and slammed his fist on her head in defense; of course, this was before he realized who she was. Who in their right mind would slap Caroline the Furious?**

** Camelio's vision focused on the livid face of his sister. She was so mad you could almost see the smoke shooting out her ears. Camelio's mouthed an 'Oh' of surprise as she gave him a contemptuous glance and swiveled around to strut over to Jackson.**

"**I believe we all have some things we all have some secrets we all have a need to share," Caroline said pointedly. "I, for one, believe that telling about these 'gifts' will make it easier on us to utilize them in the necessary manner."**

** 'Gifts' indeed, but she had a point; although I could never tell her that in a million years. She'd find some way to make me pay for it.**

"**Let's start with you." She said throwing me a suspicious glance that said, **_**There's no way you'll get out of this one.**_

** I guess she was right. **


	9. Chapter 9

Hello, my fine friends! I hope you enjoy this next chapter of my book! Oh, and special thanks to the people that reviewed, you guys are awesome! -PM

**Chapter 9**

** Boy, was I in a rut. Everyone had expectant gazes set on me. Why? Because of Caroline. I was starting to really admire Camelio's sanity; I couldn't last a week in their household.**

"**Well..." I started nervously, "I can sort of hear things."**

"**Huh, hear things," Caroline exaggerated. Her facial expression was blank. "Elaborate."**

"**Well, when we first got here I started to hear these voices in my head."**

"**What did they say?" Caroline pressed on.**

"**See, that's the catch; I can't understand what they're saying." Caroline looked somewhat disappointed.**

"**And you?" She looked at Liza.**

** Liza looked disappointed.**

"**I was hoping you wouldn't ask me. I can sort of see my surroundings and know, like, their history to a certain degree."**

"**What do you know about this place?" I inquired.**

"**Well, that's the thing," Her brow furrowed. "Have you guys ever heard the tale of the Minotaur?"**

** The silence was so thick you could cut it with a knife. Of course we'd all heard the legendary story of the man who used a ball of yarn to find his way out of the maze which he had entered to slay the beast. As the story goes, his venture was successful, and he got out alive. The follow up, however, has never been seen. I had a nagging suspicion that we were about to become part of the unheard sequel.**

** Liza gulped.**

"**These aren't just tunnels, Jackson, this is a maze;" Liza confirmed. "And I have reasons to believe the Minotaur isn't **_**completely **_**dead." **


	10. Chapter 10

_**Yes, my 10**__**th**__** chapter! I myself am impressed with my progress. I will try to make it as long as possible. This story came from a dream, and I am randomly deciding what happens from Chapter 8 and on. I didn't sleep that long, unfortunately!**_

_**Rate, Review, and Subscribe!**_

_**-PM**_

**Chapter 10**

**I rested my face in my hands. This whole leadership thing was really starting to get to me. The adventure part most of all. I exchanged weary glances with Caroline; we were thinking the same thing: **_**When will the surprises end?**_** Hopefully soon, but I somehow doubt it.**

** We all looked at Liza, her expression showed sympathy for us, as well as a bit of self-pity.**

"**I wish I didn't have to tell you that," She said.**

_**Me, too. **_**I answered her mentally.**

** By the looks on everyones' face, we should really head back.**

"**Let's head back," Said Caroline unexpectedly.**

"**Good plan," I replied, **_**for once.**_

** It took about forty-five minutes to get back since we knew the way from the trip in. Once we got there, we waited another 20 minutes to hear from 7. In the meanwhile, the rest of us revealed our talents.**

"**Caroline? It's your turn now." I said.**

** She sighed. "I guess there's no getting out now."**

_**Oh, great, more bad news. **_**I thought angrily.**

"**Not the kind you'd think. My news might just make you a little self-conscious.**

** My attention drifted. What? What does she mean, **_**self-conscious**_**?** **And...wait a minute...how did she know what I was thinking-**

"**Yes, I am a mind reader. But that's not as cool as you might think. Imagine reading thoughts -mean thoughts- about you? Guess how that feels. And what about those thoughts you just don't **_**want **_**to hear? The lucky thing is that I can only read subjects of thoughts, that makes them less harsh. Emotions, too," She sighed. "I'd call it a curse, not a gift."**

** This recent discovery had me feeling a bit sorry for her, even though she could be kind of a jerk, and it was kind of creepy having someone who could listen in on your private thoughts. **

**She glared at me.**

_**Oops, sorry. **_**I thought covering my mouth, not realizing that wouldn't do anything. She sighed again.**

"**Camelio?" she inquired.**

"**Well, I'm not as lucky as Caramel here, but I have a similar talent."**

"**Yes?" Caroline inquired.**

"**I can, well, sort of **_**influence **_**people to think certain things. I can't make them do things, which stinks, but I can make them believe that things I say are true."**

"**That's pretty cool."**

"**I guess so."**

** I was forgetting someone, but who? I could never remember his/her name.**

"**My turn?" I jumped.**

"**Yeah, Cam, your turn."**

"**I guess you've already noticed my talent. I can sort of become invisible; not perfectly invisible, but inconspicuous enough to where people just don't notice me. Kind of like camouflage."**

"**That explains the name." I said bluntly.**

"**Precisely," he replied.**

** Exactly after he finished, the screen buzzed into life once again.**

"**How are my favorite little dreamwalkers?" 7 said smiling.**

"**Bored." Everyone said instantaneously.**

"**I suspected as much. Anyway, I was just going to tell you that—" While he said this half the screen went fuzzy.**

"**Oh, my lord! My laptop receptors are blinking out!" he shouted in a panic.**

"**Quick, what were you going to say?" I yelled at the mismatched screen.**

"**I—" the TV blacked out.**

** I turned and squarely faced the rest of my gaping group.**

"**It looks like we're on our own now. Let's go catch that Minotaur."**


	11. Chapter 11

_Well, readers, sorry about all the short chapters and the confusion with Chapter One's location. It's after Chapter 10 and I'll try and make these as long as I can! Rate and Review! I'll stop writing more chapters if I don't get feedback! Constructive criticism, please! Also, in chapter 10, it says 'I was really starting to Camelio's sanity' I meant 'I was really starting to __admire __Camelio's sanity'._

_Fly on,_

_Patricia Monsoon_

**Chapter 11**

** We were dumbstruck; sitting on the floor, the silence so thick you could cut it with a knife. I sat in the dark, the voices dim and distant in my mind. We had journeyed 1 hour into the maze and I was on first watch while Liza, Cam and Camelio slept. Caroline was still awake, helping me keep watch. I turned to her.**

"**You really should get some sleep." I told her.**

"**That's pointless. I hardly ever sleep. It's hard when other peoples' thoughts are whirring around in your mind." She replied. "What should we do next?"**

"**What do you mean?"**

"**I mean, what should we do next? Should we try and find out what's keeping us from communicating with 7, or should we try to reestablish our connections without finding the cause."**

"**I think it would be a better idea if we found the cause. Caroline?"**

"**Yes?"**

** "There's something I haven't told anyone, I was afraid it might upset you, but I think it's important."**

"**What is it?" Caroline looked uneasy, for she already knew what I was going to say.**

"**The voices I hear, well, I'm pretty sure they're a warning. Sometimes, even though it's in a foreign tongue, I hear something that sounds like danger," I replied.**

** She sighed. "I'm fed up with this whole thing; it's all connected. The maze, the Minotaur, everything is."**

**After another hour of silence, I began to grow weary, and I woke Cam up to fill in for me. As I drifted off, I found myself wondering what **_**would **_**happen next. And, also, why us? More philosophical nonsense, I know, but that's life.**

** I woke up at what I assumed to be the next day. No one was awake; even Caroline was in a small heap on the ground. I sigh; so much for the watch system. I shake the nearest groupie awake: Liza.**

"**Wake up, Liz!" I shout in her ear. She slowly repositions herself so that she can glare at me. She gives me a dirty look, stands up, and screams. I clasp my hands to my head to relieve the pain, but to no avail. By the time she finishes, everyone is staring at her in horror. She smiles at me, in a cute, malicious way.**

"**Um, thanks." I say uncertainly.**

"**My pleasure. The floor is yours." She replies calmly**

**I step forth, looking at the gaping mouths that belonged to three very freaked out children.**

"**So . . . what should we do next? I questioned.**

**Liza peeked over my shoulder, apparently trying to whisper something in my ear; her whispering didn't have the desired effect.**

"**Not to worry you or anything, but I'm starting to hear things too." She said. **

**I sighed. She would obviously never stop saying worrisome things.**

"**Not like you, though," She confirmed. " I hear something mechanical, kind of like a grating sound." I was genuinely intrigued by this.**

"**What do you mean?" I asked.**

"**It's coming from somewhere deep within the maze. It's reminds me of something kept alive on machines, I hear the whirring of engines and stuff."**

"**And stuff?" I pushed.**

"**Groaning, like it's in pain; the creature, I mean."**

_**Huh, **_**I thought. This conversation was going nowhere. Then Camelio added on.**

"**I think we should try to find the source of the noises, both of yours." He said. I looked around the room. I noticed that Caroline hadn't spoken in a while. She looked sick, not the literal type, though. **

"**Caroline, what's wrong?" I inquired. She looked like a wreck.**

"**Jackson, I'm hungry."**

DUH, DUH, DUH. What will happen next? I don't know! You tell me! R and R!

-PM


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